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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Ben Thein
Associate Director, Middle East Strategy Group
The Aspen Institute
202-736-2917
ben.thein@aspeninstitute.org
PALESTINIAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT FORUM: PROMOTING OPPORTUNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Washington, DC, October 14, 2008–– Building on the staggering success of the Palestine Investment Conference in Bethlehem last May, which led to an historic investment of more than $1.4 billion in Palestinian businesses, the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership (UPP) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce today hosted U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and top U.S. business leaders at the Palestinian Business and Investment Forum. During the day-long event, panelists discussed how the U.S. private sector—both nonprofits and the business community—is uniquely situated to contribute to the peace and prosperity of the region. The event was highlighted by the announcement of millions of dollars in investments in the region by TouchStar, Cisco Systems Inc., and Intel Corp.
“Palestine is open for business!” Prime Minister Fayyad said enthusiastically before a crowd of more than 200 business leaders and entrepreneurs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. “Get in on the ground floor,” urged Prime Minister Fayyad, who asserted that his country has not been touched by the recent economic calamities faced in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Fellow keynote speaker Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also challenged the business people in the room to “give voice and give reality to hope.” Sec. Rice said that the Palestinians are now poised to create the kind of business economy that will steer them toward a viable and sustainable future.
“The framework for negotiating a final resolution of the conflict is before us,” said Secretary Rice, who also promised to “leave no stone unturned” in her quest to create a two-state solution in the Middle East that would give Israelis a democratic partner in the region, Palestinians a free and independent country, and the region the power to build on the “potential of its people.” She ended the morning by anticipating a world that can “finally put behind it this seminal conflict.”
The major announcements made at the forum included:
- $1.5 Million Commitment to the Call Center: TouchStar CEO Steve Bederman announced a commitment of more than $1.5 million in technology and services to the call center development project to help create 600 new job opportunities for Palestinians. The center, located in East Jerusalem, will provide Arabic language call center services for business customers in the Middle East and North Africa.
- $10 Million in Seed Money from Cisco: Cisco announced it would be giving $10 million toward training of Palestinian business leaders and as seed money for investment in Palestinian businesses.
- 900 Computers from Intel: In addition to training both professors and students on business development and planning, Intel will be donating 900 Classmate PCs to Palestinian schools.
- $12.5 Million Contribution to Youth Centers: The U.S. Agency for International Development announced a partnership between the public and private sectors to create four high-tech youth centers throughout the West Bank to educate and develop the next generation of Palestinian leaders.
- Pro Bono Contribution to Youth Centers: The Boys & Girls Clubs of America announced a commitment to provide training to youth center leadership in the West Bank and to form sister-city relationships between the youth centers in the West Bank and Boys & Girls Clubs in the U.S.
- Bank of Palestine to be a Call Center Client: Representatives from the Bank of Palestine and Capital Gate Services, signed a memorandum of understanding, signifying the first client commitment to the center.
Featured speakers included:
- The Honorable Condoleezza Rice, Secretary, U.S. Department of State
- The Honorable Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister, Palestinian National Authority
- General James L. Jones, USMC (Ret.), President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy and Special Envoy, Middle East Security, U.S. Department of State
- The Honorable Robert Kimmitt, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Treasury
- The Honorable John J. Sullivan, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce
- James Kunder, Acting Deputy Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development
- Robert Mosbacher, Jr., President and CEO, Overseas Private Investment Corporation
- Walter Isaacson, President and CEO, Aspen Institute, and Chairman, U.S.-Palestinian Partnership
- Ziad Asali, MD, President and Founder, American Task Force on Palestine, and Co-Chair, U.S.-Palestinian Partnership
- Berl Bernhard, Chair, Aspen Institute Middle East Investment Initiative
- Jean Case, CEO, The Case Foundation, and Co-Chair, U.S.-Palestinian Partnership
About the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership
Launched by President George W. Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, USAID Administrator Henrietta Fore, and U.S. business leaders, the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership (UPP) promotes economic and educational opportunities for the Palestinian people. UPP is a critical component in facilitating progress toward a two-state solution, wherein Israel and Palestine can live side by side, in peace, security and prosperity. UPP is housed at the Aspen Institute.